He stood outside the door which connected Kagome's room to his, and after a moment of resignation, rapped lightly on the wood with his knuckles. She had asked that she not be disturbed, but he came baring gifts. After a stroll in his gardens, and picking some of the more impressive offerings, he stood now with a small bouquet as an olive branch.
He wasn't admitting he was wrong. He wasn't. But he knew she was likely having a rough time adjusting to the new power swelling within her. And perhaps, he hadn't been as attentive to her needs as he could have been. Sure, he was taking her every time he had a free moment. But most of his time since her arrival had been dedicated to work, as it so often was. And though the tasks before him were important ones, he had a girlfriend now. If he learned anything from watching others, it was that it was well worth the time it took away from duties to see to the contentment of one's female.
When she did not open the door, he had assumed she was still angry from before. Instead of trying again, he simply let himself into the room. It was his fortress after all. He would do as he pleased. Any privacy he allowed others within his walls was merely a courtesy.
After a quick scanning of the room, it was apparent that she wasn't there. But the sense of her powers, accompanied by the sounds of scribbling alerted him to her presence in the adjoining study. He approached to find the door open, and once inside, saw his miko hunched over her desk, attending to some scrolls of her own. He was curious as to what she was doing, but thought it best to leave it be. 'For now.'
The press of his youki against her senses alerted her to his presence, and she turned to face him. He was pleased to see no upset in her features. But concerned at her lack of joy to see him. Her face was unreadable.
"These are for you," he held the flowers out to her, and made sure his features would show patience and warmth as she regarded him. She looked from them, and back up to his face, before finally offering a smile and accepting.
"They're beautiful. Thank you."
"Are you still upset with This One for his unfortunate comments in the dojo?"
"A little," she admitted, but stood to wrap her arms around his middle and press herself to him.
Smiling up to him she asked, "Are you here to make it up to me?"
He gave her a drawn-out kiss, before parting to respond.
"Yes. But perhaps not in the manner you are inferring."
She waited quietly for him to continue.
"Come. I have something I wish to show you."
"What is it? I'm kind of working on something."
His pushed aside his interest in what could possibly be occupying her time.
"Work, work, work. Is that all you care for?" he asked with a smirk.
He encased her in his sphere of light, and was off. In a matter of moments, they were far across his lands. Still in The West, she assumed, but far from the fortress. Far from anywhere.
They were high on a mountain side. A cliff, not so different than the one she had taken him to near Lord Hano's village, only much higher. And it was much darker. So dark, that she could not even see the dog demon who held her tightly against himself.
He pressed her back against him as he sat them down, and she had to ask, "Where are we? What are we doing here?"
He only answered by reclining them back, and she lost her breathe at what she saw.
Above them, as she looked to the sky, she saw it littered with billions of stars. More than she had ever seen, even in the past where light pollution did not obstruct the view. They stretched as far low as the horizon in every direction, and were clustered so tightly that she could see the milky way clearly.
"Kami. Sesshoumaru..." she gasped, and he squeezed her firmly against him, so that he could rest his cheek beside hers as she took in the view. His sights, however, were trained on her. The look on her face pleased him. He made that happen. And this was only the beginning. He had much more to show her. He would remind her of the awe only he could inspire.
"There's so many... And they are all so bright. I can't even make out the constellations!"
"You know them?" He knew she was educated far beyond any human in this era. That she could read and write was impressive enough; but he would never get used to discovering how far the bounds of her knowledge actually stretched. She was amazing. Not only was she a match for him intellectually, but she could take him to school on many subjects. It intrigued and excited him, and made him love her all the more.
"Some. And you? What am I thinking? You probably know them all, don't you?"
"Indeed. When you live as long as I, you must fill your time somehow. Once I finished my task of setting foot on every blade of grass within The Western Lands, This One turned his sights upward, and began counting the stars." She wouldn't have pegged him as one to have his head in the clouds.
"And when you were finished?"
"I began visiting them." His sphere of light could traverse great distances in mere moments; and he took the time he had spent travelling to clear his head, and ponder many a topic in peaceful solitude.
"The stars? You visited them all?" He scoffed.
"Hardly. I became distracted from my progress with more pressing things. But I wish to continue someday. It is my hope that you might join me. Would that please you?"
Though she couldn't see his face, his lips called to her. She heeded that call, and touched them with her own; exploring his mouth with her tongue in a way that was both familiar, and brand new.
When the kiss broke, she leaned back into him. Simply taking in the sight he had offered her; a relaxed contentment washing over her that she hadn't known in what felt like days.
"You will never visit them all, you know."
"You doubt This One?"
"I don't doubt that your intentions are good. It's just impossible." Nothing was impossible for him, but he would allow her to finish her thought.
"Some of those stars, are no longer stars. They are just light," she informed him.
"They used to be stars. But they are so far away, that by the time the light was able to make its journey to us, the star was already gone.
"When you look at those stars, it is like looking into the past. You are seeing something that existed many, many, many years ago, and died before you even knew they were there."
She became somber then, and it didn't slip past his notice. He remained silent, but held her tighter still.
"Just think. Right now, there are millions of stars out there that you can't see. And by the time they shine for us, we will all be dead. Even you."
"Will that prevent you from enjoying them now?" When she didn't answer, he continued.
"Regardless of whether they still exist or not, the light is there for you to enjoy right now. You would forsake their gift?"
"I just wish there was something I could do..." she whispered, more to herself.
"It would appear that what you see now, is all they have to offer you. I suggest you enjoy it."
When her melancholy expression remained, he tried to assure her further.
"You may take solace in the fact that; though you were not aware of it, the star had indeed been there. And though the light arrived later than you might have hoped; it shall remain with you until your final breath."
She wanted to respond, but the words escaped her. Many stars above had taken to shooting; but when a particularly bright once danced past them, she allowed it to serve as a distraction.
"Make a wish."
He would have thought she'd had her fill of those by now. Regardless, he closed his eyes and did as she said. He didn't even have to think about it.
"What wish did you choose this time?" He really wanted to know. Not long ago, he could have probably guessed along which lines she would have ventured. Now... he had no idea, but the prospects worried him.
"I can't tell you. It won't come true."
He longed for some insight to her current desires, and hated that he considered perhaps it would be best if she shared.
A/N: The title is borrowed from The Slackers song off the Self Medication album. The whole album is a very good listen, actually.